Shuttle picking mechanism



A. MOESSINGER SHUTTLE PICKING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 9, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 30, 1939. A. MOESSINGER SHUTTLE PICKING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9, 1937 Jaw e22 iar fllgri/fiessz' nyer .1 Harvey.

Patented May 30, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SHUTTLE PICKIN G MECHANISM Albert Moessinger, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Sulzer Frres, Socit Anonyme, Winterthur, Switzerland Application February 9,. 1937, Serial No. 124,846

In Switzerland February 22, 1936 15 Claims.

The present invention relates to picking means for high speed, high capacity looms for weaving.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a drive for the picking means for shuttles,

5 for example, gripping shuttles in looms for weaving, which drive is operated by a spring the tension of which is periodically increased by the loom operating mechanism and which spring is of the torsional type and consists substantially of a 10 rod-like element.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a drive mechanism for the picker in looms for Weaving, which drive comprises a resilient member having small mass and, therefore, causing little or no vibration of its own, re-

quiring little or no speed and/or momentum changing transmitting means, and being capable of quick acceleration and producing high starting velocity of the shuttles to be picked.

. Further and other objects of the present in vention will be hereinafter set forth in the accompanying specification and claims and shown in the drawings which, by way of illustration, show what I now consider to be a preferred em- 35 bodiment of my invention.

- In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic layout of a picking mechanism according to the present invention.

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are schematic showings of parts 30 of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 in various operating positions.

Fig. 5 is a schematic layout of a modified picking mechanism according to the present invention.

5 Fig. 6 is a schematic layout of another modification of a picking mechanism according to the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a schematic layout of 'yet another modification of a picking mechanism according to o the present invention.

Like parts are designated by like numerals in all figures of the drawings.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings: I represents the shuttle which,

45 in the position shown in Fig. 1, rests'in the shuttle box 2 ready to be shot through the shed 3. The torsion spring 4 has the configuration of a rod, rests in bearings 5 and 6, and carries at one end the picking lever l and at the other end 50 the crank 8. The latter is oscillatingly moved by means of the cam disc H which is provided with a groove In in which roller i2, connected to one end of rod 9, is guided. The other end of rod 9 is movably connected with the free end I of crank 8. Rod 9 is slidably carried by means of bearing 9'. Cam disc fl is revolved in the direction indicated by arrow I4 by means of a shaft l3 which may be connected to the loom driving mechanism which is not shown because it does not form part of the present invention. 5 For holding the picking lever 1 in picking position, which is the one shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, a latch H5 in the form of a lever is provided which can swing about fulcrum l6 and carries at one end a catch I! which is adapted 10 to cooperate with pin I 8 on lever I. For releasing picking lever I, latch l5 need only be moved counterclockwise, which motion may be efiected by any mechanism'connected with the loom operating mechanism and which does not form part 18 of the present invention. The lever shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 is picking lever in the position into which it snaps, whenreleased, under the influence of the tension of torsion spring 4. The end of lever 1 is provided with an abut- 20 ment 2!] held in position by means of a spring I9, which abutment pushes shuttle I to the right, as seen in Fig. 1, when spring 4 is released. When spring 4 is expanded and lever 1 has reached the rightmost position shown in dotted lines in Fig.

1, shuttle l keeps on moving across the loom due to its own inertia.

Fig. 2 shows the spring moving and tensioning crank 8, spring 4, and lever picking 1 in rest position, i. e., in the position aiter releasing spring 4 and picking the shuttle. This is the position which is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows crank 8, spring 4, and lever 1 in the position just before the tension of spring l is increased. Latch l5 already engages pin I8 and holds lever 1 in position. To change from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the one shown in Fig. 3, crank 8 is moved counterclockwise.

Fig. 4 shows crank 8, spring 4, and lever l in position ready for the pick. Crank 8 is turned clockwise and spring 4 is under tension. The position is the same as the one shown in solid lines in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which, instead of a cam or a curved groove, a crank or eccentric 2| is used for driving rod 9" which connects the crank or eccentric 2| with crank 8. Picking lever 1 is mounted on spring 4 intermediate of its ends. One end of torsion spring 4' carriesthe spring turning and tensioning crank 8 and the other end is fixed to a stationary part 22 of the loom by means of a flange 22. The construction as per Fig. 5 has the advantage that the part of spring 4' between crank 8 and lever I may be made short,

angle roll? The mechanism is then in the position shown in solid lines. In this position, picker 1 is locked by means of the holding latch I5; crank 2| is then again brought to its left dead center position. After this has been done, both parts of torsion spring 4 are under tension in such manner that the tension brought on the part of spring 4' which is forward of lever l, as seen on Fig. 5, acts on lever 'I in addition to the tension previously brought on the part of spring 4' which is behind lever I, as seen in Fig. 5. Upon releasing catch l5 from lever 1, lever I snaps into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 and starts the shuttle across the loom. Crank 2| is then in the neighborhood of its left dead center position.

The torsion spring in Fig. 5 is of prismatic cross section. A round cross section, as hown in Fig. 1, or a rod having an irregular cross section, as shown in Fig. 6, may also be used.

In Fig. 6, an embodiment of the present invention is shown in which lever I is used also for tensioning spring 4". One end of spring 4" is fixed by means of flange 32 to a stationary part oi the loom. To the other end of spring 4", lever I is connected.

Spring 4" is of irregular cross section. The cross section reduces from flange 32 towards the end to which lever l is connected.

Latch 28 is movably carried by the end of a lever 26 which is swingable about fulcrum 25. The free end of latch 28 has the form of a hook which is adapted to engage pin 3| fixed to lever 1. To the free end of lever 26, also one end of connecting rod 24 is connected. The other end of rod 24 is movably connected to the free end of crank 23. Rod 24 has an extension 21 to which a pin 21' is connected which is adapted to cooperate with latch 28.

In the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 6, spring 4" is under tension and the mechanism is ready for picking. Upon movement of crank 23 in the direction of arrow 29, pin 21 moves in the direction of arrow 30 and lifts. latch 28 out of engagement with pin 3|. then able to expand the snap picking lever l to the right into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, whereby shuttle is picked across the loom. Lever 1 is returned from the position on the right of Fig. 6 by means of latch 28 which is carried by lever 26 and moved by means of connecting rod 24 to the right and engages pin 3| as soon as crank 23 has reached right dead center position; upon further movement of crank 23 in the direction of arrow 29, lever i is pulled to the left into the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 6, whereby the tension of spring 4 is increased.

Whereas, in the embodiment of my invention according to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the picker spring is torsioned between the time when the picker is locked in its picking position and the moment of its release, in the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 6, the spring is torsioned Spring 4" is while the picker is being brought into picking position.

Fig. '7 shows an embodiment of my invention in which the picker spring is torsioned while the picker is being brought into picking position and before it is locked in said position. In the mechanism shown in Fig. 7, an elbow lever 33 is rotatably mounted on one end of the torsion shaft 40 and adjacent to picker lever 1 which is rigidly connected to the end of shaft 40. .One arm of elbow lever 33 is connected to one end of connecting rod 90, the other end of which is connected to crank 2|. The other arm of elbow lever 33 is adapted to abuttingly cooperate with stud 34 in picker lever 'I. The end of shaft 4|] which does not carry the picker carries a flange 32 which is rigidly connected to a stationary part of the l'oom. In the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, picker 1 is in pickingposition into which it has been brought by means of elbow lever 33 abutting stud 34 and being operated by crank 2|. The tension of torsion spring 40 is thereby increased. When lever I has reached the position ready for the pick, it is locked in said position by means of latch l5. Upon further rotation of crank 2|, elbow lever 33 is moved clockwise so that the way for picker I is free to snap into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. '7 as soon as latch I5 is lifted.

While I believe the above described embodiments of my invention to be preferred embodiments, I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of design and construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. A picking mechanism for shuttles for looms for weaving comprising a torsion spring of substantially rod-like configuration, a shuttle picking means connected substantially adjacent to one end of said spring and a tensioning means connected substantially adjacent to the other end of said spring for tensioning'said spring after the pick.

2. A picking mechanism for shuttles for looms for weaving comprising a torsion spring, a tensioning means connected substantially adjacent to one end of said spring and a picking means connectedv substantially adjacent to the other end of said spring and comprising a periodically acting member adapted to hold said picking means and the end of said spring to which said picking means is connected stationary while said tensioning means tensions said spring.

3. A picking mechanism for looms for weaving comprising a torsion spring, a tensioning means connected substantially'adjacent to one end of said spring, a picking means connected substantially adjacent to the other end of said spring and comprising a periodically acting holding member adapted to hold said picking means in picking position, said tensioning means comprising operating means adapted to operate said tensionin means while said picking means is held in p cking position by said member.

4. A shuttle picking mechanism for looms i'or weaving, said mechanism comprising a torsion spring, shuttle picking means connected to said spring, spring moving and tensioning means operatively connected with said spring and being adapted to first move said spring and picking meansconnected thereto into picking position and to thereafter tension said spring.

5. A shuttle picking mechanism for looms for weaving, said mechanism comprising a torsion spring, shuttle picking means connected to said spring, spring moving and tensioning means operatively connected with said spring and being adapted to first move said spring and said pick ing means connected thereto into picking position and to thereafter tension said spring, and periodically acting holding means adapted to hold said picking means in picking position while said tensioning means tension said spring.

6. A picking mechanism comprising a torsion spring, a shuttle picker and spring tensioning means connected with said spring, picker holding and release means separate from and being adapted to operate independently of said spring tensioning means and being periodically connected with said shuttle picker and holding it in position while said tensioning means tension said spring.

7. A shuttle picking mechanism for looms for weaving, said mechanism comprising a torsion spring, shuttle picking means connected with said spring, spring revolving and tensioning means operatively connected with said spring and being adapted to first revolve said spring and picking means connected therewith into picking position and to thereafter tension said spring, and means for holding said picking means in picking position while said spring is being tensioned.

8. A shuttle picking mechanism for looms for weaving, said mechanism comprising a torsion spring, shuttle picking means connected to said spring, spring turning and tensioning means operatively connected with said spring and adapted to first turn said picking means connected to the spring into picking position and to thereafter tension said spring between said pick-,

ing means and said tensioning means, and means 0 for holding said picking means in picking position while said spring is being tensioned.

9. A picking mechanism for shuttles in looms for weaving comprising, in combination, a torsion spring of substantially rod-like configuration, a shuttle picking means connected with and being adapted to be operated by said torsion spring, and a spring tensioning means connected with said torsion spring at a point which is distant from the point at which said picking means is connected with said spring, and means for holding said picking means in picking position while said spring is being tensioned.

10. A picking mechanism for shuttles in looms for weaving comprising, in combination, a torsion spring of substantially rod-like configuration, a shuttle picking means connected with and being adapted to be operated by said spring, aholding and release means directly connected with said picking means, and a spring tensioning means connected with said torsion spring at a point which is distant from the point at which said picking means is connected with said spring.

11. A picking mechanism for shuttles in looms for weaving comprising, in combination, a torsion spring having a stationary end, a turning and tensioning means connected substantially adjacent to the other end of said spring for turning and tensioning said spring, a picking means connected to said spring at a point which is intermediary the two ends of said spring, and means for holding said picking means in picking position while said spring is being tensioned.

12. A picking mechanism for shuttles in looms for weaving comprising, in combination, a torsion spring having a stationary end, a tensioning means connected substantially adjacent to the other end of said spring, a picking means connected to said spring at a point which is substantially midway between the two ends of said spring, and means for holding said picking means in picking position while said spring is being tensioned.

13. A shuttle picking mechanism for looms for weaving comprising, in combination, a torsion spring of which one end is stationary, spring tuming and tensioning means operatively connected substantially adjacent to the other end of said spring, shuttle picking means connected to said spring between both ends of said spring, said turning and tensioning means first turning said picking means connected to said spring into picking position and thereafter tensioning said spring between said picking means and said turning and tensioning means, and means for holding said picking means in picking position while said spring is being tensioned.

14. A shuttle picking mechanism for looms for weaving, said mechanism comprising, in combination, a torsion spring of which one end is stationary, operatively connected substantially adjacent to the other end of said spring, shuttle picking means connected to said spring between both ends of said spring, said tensioning means first turning said picking means into picking position and thereafter tensioning said spring between said picking means and said tensioning means, and periodically acting holding -eans being periodically connected with and holding said picking means in picking position while said tensioning means tension the part of said spring which is between said picking means and said tensioning means.

15. A shuttle picking mechanism in looms for weaving, said mechanism comprising, in combination, a torsion spring of which one end is stationary, spring tensioning means operatively connected substantially adjacent to the other end of said spring, shuttle picking means connected to said spring between both ends of said spring, said tensioning means first moving said picking means into picking position and tensioning said spring between said picking means and the stationary end of said spring, and thereafter tensioning said spring between said picking means and said tensioning means, and means for holding said picking means in picking position while said spring is being tensioned.

ALBERT MOESSINGER.

spring turning and tensioning means 

